When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.

For the month of December, the president's Total Job Approval Rating improved two points from November to 56%, the highest level measured since May 2009. Prior to the election, that finding has remained in the narrow range of 44% to 49% for two years straight.

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